Machine for making wire hinges



(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 1. D. L. HILL. MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE HINGES.

No. 411,194. Patented Sept. 17, 1889.

N4 PETERS. Pholo-Likhognphcr. Washington. D. C.

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 3. D. L. HILL. MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE HINGES.

Patented Sept. 17, 1889.

mvawtoz N. pmzns, Phwumo n m. Washington. D. a

MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE HINGES.

No. 411,194. Patented Sept. 17, 1889.

W I I I ll l I I 3251 Waftomw1 o ami/know 7 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

D. L. HILL. MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE HINGES.

Patented Sept. 17, 1 889.

amine W601 lvitweooe-o (No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 7. D. L. HILL.

MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE HINGES.

No. 411,194. Patented Sept. 17, 1889.

N. PEYERS. Pmwmm u hur, Waxhingicm D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAN L. HILL, OF EST SWVANZEY, NE? HAMPSHIRE.

MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE HINGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 411,194, dated September 1'7, 1889.

Application filed February 13, 1839. Serial No. 299,798. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, DAN L. HILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Swanzey, in the county of Cheshire and State of New Hampshire, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines'for Making \Vire Hinges for Boxes, of which the follow ing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for making wire hinges for boxes and other articles; and it consists in the pe culiar construction and combination of devices that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line as 00 of Fig. I. Fig. 4 is a top plan view. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 1 y of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line .2 z of Fig. Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, and 1]. are detailed perspective views illustrating the positions of the clampingjaws and bending finger or arm during different stages of the operation of the machine. Fig. 10" is a view showing the .parts in same relative position as in Fig. 10, but from the opposite side, so as to expose the construction more clearly. Fig. 12 is atop plan view of the machine with the yoke X and all its parts removed, so as to expose the mechanism lying under said yoke. Fig. 13 is a View of the under side of the yoke X and the parts carried by said yoke. Fig. 14. is a perspective view of the two pairs of bending-clamps and their operating mechanism detached from the rest of the machine. Fig. 15 is a perspective View of one of the wire hinges produced by my improved machine.

Near one side of a bed-plate A are secured a pair of standards B, in which is journaled the driving-shaft C, which is provided with an offset portion or crank D. To one end of the said shaft is secured a driving-wheel or belt-pulley E; or said shaft may be provided with a' hand-crank F, if preferred, and to the opposite end of the shaft is secured a miterwheel G. A tappet-arm I-I projects from the said shaft, near one of its ends, and to the offset or crank portion of the shaft is keyed a miter-wheel I. Arranged at right angles to the bearings or standards B are a pair of standards K, in which is j ournaled a shaft L, having a miter-Wheel M on its inner end, which engages the miter-wheel G; hence rotary motion of the shaft O is communicated to shaft L.

N represents a tappet-bar, which is arranged transversely on the shaft L, and is keyed thereto, and is provided at opposite extremities with right-angled tappet-arms O P, which extend in opposite directions. Also keyed to the shaft L and arranged adjacent to the tappet-bar is a cam R. A feed-roller S is keyed to said shaft and has a gear-wheel T at its inner end, and also secured to the shaft L and arranged at an angle of about fifteen degrees with relation to the tappet-bar N is an arm U, which has a beveled or inclined face V at its outer end on its inner side.

A standard IV is secured to the bed-plate and has an arm X at its upper end, which extends, over the feed-roller S, and is bifurcated at its outer end to form a pair of ears, between which is journaled a feed-roller Y, which is arranged above the feed-roller S and adjacent to the same, and has a gear-wheel Z at its inner side, which engages the gear T. A spring plate or arm A is bolted to the upper end of the adjacent standard K and rests on the arm X, the function of the said plate being to exert constant downward pressure on the arm X and prevent the same from swinging upward.

B represents a wire-guide, which is arranged at right angles to the shaft L and is supported by a pair of standards 0. Said wire-guide has its inner end in proximity to and in the same plane with the space between the feed-rollers, and is provided with a longitudinal opening D, which extends throughout its entire length. A longitudinal slot E in the side of and at the outer end of the wireguide communicates with the outer end of the longitudinal opening D, as shown.

F represents a sigmoidal shaped lever, which is pivoted on the under side of the wire-guide by means of a pivotal bolt G. One end of the said lever is normally arranged in the path of the tappet-arm U, and is provided on its outer side with a beveled face or cam H, adapted to be engaged by the face or cam Vof said tappet-lever. A cutter I is guided in a transverse opening in the wire-guide at a suitable distance from the out-er end thereof, and is connected to the outer end of the lever F and is adapted to be operated thereby. On the outer side of the wire-guide is secured a flat spring K, the free end of which is adapted to engage the end of the cutter, and is provided with a notch which registers with the slot E.

Secured to the upper end of a standard L and arranged in line with and at a suitable distance from the outer end of thewire-guide is a box M, which is open on its inner end and on its outer side. Secured also to the upper end of the standard L is a horizontal stationary jaw N, which is arranged at right angles to the wire-guide.

A lever O, pivoted between a pair of ears P, secured on the base, has an arm R rising from its inner end and is provided with a movable jaw S, adapted to play laterally toward and from the rigid jaw N, and at the outer end of the lever O is formed a tappet T, which is adapted to engage the cam R, whereby the said lever, and consequently the movable jaw, is adapted to be operated by said cam, as will be readily understood. A spring U extends from the base-plate or bed to the lever O and draws downward on the same.

7 V represents a standard secured on the bed-plate near the ears P, andfulcrumed to the said standard are a pair of levers NV and X, the outer ends of which are offset in opposite directions and adapted to be engaged, respectively, by the tappet-arms O P. A spring Y bears downward on the outer end of lever X, and a spring Z presses upward under the outer end of lever \V. The said levers W and X are provided at their inner ends with slots A B respectively.

C represents a guide-bar, which is secured on the base-plate or bed and is arranged in the position at right angles to one of the standards B and in proximity thereto.

D represents a right-angled bar, which has arms E F extending in opposite directions and guided in a block G and in the block C respectively. The arm F has its outer extremity reduced and made cylindrical in shape.

H represents a yoke or standard, which is pivoted on the extended part of arm F and is adapted to partly turn thereon and to move longitudinally therewith. Formed at the upper end of said yoke or standard, or secured thereto and projecting inward therefrom, is a block 1 which is provided with a pair of vertical openings arranged at a suitable distance apart. From the arm E of the bar D project a pair of vertical standards or tappet-arms K L which are arranged on opposite sides of and at a distance from the driving-shaft O, and are adapted to be alternately engaged by the tappet-arm H of the ver 7X.

0 represents a similar rightangled bar, which has its vertical arm extending through and adapted to move in one of the openings in the block I and has its horizontal arm engaging the slot A of the lever XV. From the upper side of the block 1 projects a vertical guide-arm P R represents a block or jaw, which is rigidly secured to the upper end of the bar 0 and has an opening through which the guidearm P extends. Thereby the said block or jaw R is adapted to move vertically toward and from the block I when the lever VV' is operated.

S represents a standard, which has a pair of arms T at its upper end and rises from the base-plate, and is located at suitable distance in rear of the block I and the jaw on the wireguide.

U represents a pair of vertical standards which rise from the base-plate and have their upper ends bifurcated, and in the said bifurcated extremities of the standards are pivoted guides V V represents a U-shaped yoke,which has its arms engaging the guides, and to the rear transverse side of the yoke is bolted a bar X The outer end of the bar X is pivoted to the offset or crank D, and said bar is provided with a pair of right-angled arms Y Z representsa shaft, which is journaled in bearings in the said arms, and to one end of i the said shaft is keyed a miter-wheel A longitudinally-perforated arm or wire-guide E which has a finger or point F at its lower end, and bolted to one side of the said arm and projecting forward therefrom is a downwardly-c urved hook G Also depending from the plate D at one side of the same is an obliquely-arranged cam H, which is adapted to engage the upper end of the guide-arm P and thereby move the standard I1 outward against the tension of the spring M when the yoke is moved inward by the bar X and the offset crank.

Bolted near the outer end of the bar X is an inverted-U -shaped arm 1 the lower outer end of which is bifurcated and provided with hearings, in which is journaled a feed-roller K The same is provided on one side with a gear-wheel, which meshes with a similar gear formed 011 the feed-roller L The latter is journaled on a spindle, that projects rearward from a standard M said standard ris' ing from the front end of plate D On the rear 'side of the feed-roller L is a crownwheel 0 which engages the crown-wheel C.

P represents a guide-arm, which is bolted to the outer end of the bar X and projects transversely therefrom over the feed-rollers L K". Said guide-arm has an opening in its outer end in vertical alignment with a similar opening in the plate D and with the vertical longitudinal bore in the arm E, which arm constitutes a wire-guide that is similar in'construction to the wire-guide B.

R represents a cutter, which works in a transverse opening in the wire-guide E and is also supported by a guide S which is bolted to the lower side of the plate D A plate T is guided in arms U which project from the bar X the longitudinal movement of said plate being limited by pins or screws which extend through openings in the guidearms and work in slots X of the plate. The latter has a shoulder Z which is adapted to be engaged by the cam-arm B on the shaft Z and moved in one direction thereby, and a spring A presses against the rear end of the said plate and moves the same normally forward. A link B connects the plate with the cutter R and serves to communicate the motion of the plate to the said cutter.

C represents a flat spring, which is secured to the bar X and bears against the rear end of the cutter, the same serving to force the cutter normally forward.

D represents a guide-arm, which has an eye E, through which a wire a from a suitable coil extends, the said wire also passing through guideopenings F in the arm \V and being directed between the feed rollers S Y and into and through the longitudinal bore of the guide B.

Gr" represents a guide-yoke, which is secured to the base-plate in a position at right angles to the guide-arm D and is provided with a series of eyes 11 through which a wire 1) is passed, the said wire being then passed through the guide-opening in the arm I and in plate D between the feed-rollers L K and into and through the longitudinal bore of the wire-guide arm E.

The operation of my invention is as follows: At the initial movement of the driving-shaft the rollers S Y move the wire a through the guide B and cause the end thereof to enter the box M, the said wire being thereby arranged at right angles to the path traversed by the finger at the lower end of guide-arm E and across the outer ends of the rigid jaw N. WVhile the wire a is being thus fed to the boX, the wire Z) is moved downward by the feed-rollers K L which are rotated by being geared together and to the shaft Z which is geared to the miter-wheel on the crank or offset of the driving-shaft, and continued rotation of the driving-shaft causes the finger at the lower end of the guide-arm E to come in contact with the intersecting portions of the wire a into the form of a staple until said jaw S closes against the rigid jaw N and thereby clinches the said portion of the wire a. \Vhile the arm or wire-guide E is moving rearward between the jaws S N and bend ing the wire a, the tappet-arm on the shaft C 0 is in engagement with the tappet-arm L of bar D and moves said bar forward, together with the standard H and the cam l-l by engaging the guide-arm P moves the standard H outward against the tension of the spring 5 M thereby causing the jaws carried by the said standard to move out of the path traversed by the wire-guide At the instant that the said cam H clears the guidearm P the spring M swings the standard H inward, so as to cause its rigid jaw I and vertically, movable jaw R to move in front of the wire Z) and become engaged therewith. The cutter in the guide-arm E is at this instant operated by the mechanism pre- 10 5 viously described and caused to cut the wire I), and the offset in the shaft 0 in rising moves the bar X and the yoke and mechanism connected therewith forward, thereby returning the guide-arm E to its initial position in front of the jaws N and S. Owing to the space between the tappet-arms K L of the bar D the said bar remains stationary, together with the standard H and the jaws 1 R while the tappetarin ll of shaft C is I15 moving rearward to the tappet-arm L As said tappet-arms come in contact, continued rotation of the driving-shaft causes the bar D to move rearward, and thereby the jaws I R move rearward under and over the jaws N S, between which the wire a remains clinched and which serve to bend the sevcred portion of the wire Z) in the bent portion of the wire a, thereby linking the said bent wires together. of the cam R, the lever 0 remains stationary during this movement of the bar D and its attachments, and consequently the jaw S, remain clinched against the jaw N. \Vhile the bar D and the jaws or blocks 1 R are moving rearward the right-angled bars N and 0 move idly through the slot Z of lever X and through the slot A of lever XV, respectively, and when the bar D reaches the The 80 Owing to the concentric face 1 2 5 inward limit of its stroke the blocks or jaws I and R are entirely clear of and in rear of the jaws N S. The tappet-arm 0 then engages the lever W and raises the outer end thereof, causing its inner end to depress the bar 0 and consequently lower the block or jaw R At the instant that the lever W becomes engaged by the arm 0 the lever X becomes engaged by the arm P, and'while the block R is being lowered, as before stated, the said lever X and the right-angled bar N cause the jaw I to rise, and thereby said jaws I and R close together on the bent arms of the wire I) and clinch the same together, thus completing the operation of making a hinge. As the geared shafts continue to revolve, the arms 0 P slip from the levers W X and the cam R slips from the tappet T of lever 0' simultaneously, and the springs connected to the said levers open the jaw S from the jaw N and open the jaws I R simultaneously by returning the said levers to their initial positions, and consequently the hinge is released and drops by gravity through a vertical spout c, which extends through an opening -in the base or bed plate.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the operation of making the wire hinge is completed at a single rotation of the driving-shaft. The hook G which depends from the plate D, by following in rear of the arm E engages the next succeeding portion of the wire a, which is fed forward through the wireguides B, and partly bends the same and leaves it in position to be engaged by the finger of the arm or guide E on the next successive movement of the latter.

Having thus described my invention, I claim I 1. The combination, with the feeding mechanisms, of the rigid jaw N, the movable jaw S, the jaws I R arranged at right angles to the jaws N S, and the finger to move between the jaws N S', for the purpose set forth, substantially as described.

2. The combination, ina machine for making wire hinges, of the movable arm or wireguide E having finger F the jaws arranged in the path of the latter and adapted to be clamped together, and the movable clampingjaws adapted to follow the wire-guide and finger, substantially as described.

The combination of the clamping-jaws, the feeder to direct a wire across one end of the same, and the wire feeder or guide arm having a finger adapted to move between the opposing sides of said jaws and thereby bend the wire into U form, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the pair of clampingjaws, the feeder to direct a wire across one end of the same, the cutter to sever the wire, and the wire feeder or guide arm having a finger adapted to move between the opposing sides of said jaws, for the purpose set forth, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the stationary pair of clamping-jaws, the bending arm or finger to pass between them, and the pair of movable clamping-jaws traveling across the stationary jaws and in rear of the bending arm or finger, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the driving-shaft having the crank, the counter-shaft geared thereto and having the cams, the feed-rollers operated by said counter-shaft, the reciprocating bar D operated by the driving-shaft, the standard pivoted thereto, the clampingjaws carried thereby, the levers connected to the clamping-jaws and operated by the cams on the counter-shaft, the standard having the rigid jaw, the lever 0, having the movable jaw N and operated by one of the cams on the counter-shaft, the reciprocating oscillating frame operated by the cranked driving-shaft and having the bending arm or finger, the feed-rollers, and the cam to operate the pivoted standard, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the reciprocating standard, the clamping-jaws carried thereby, the levers connected to said jaws to operate the same, and the shaft having the cams operating said levers, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the reciprocating bar, of the standard pivoted thereon, the movable clamping-jaws carried by said standard and having the right-angled bars, the levers having the slots engaging said bars, and the shaft having the cams operating said levers and the retracting-springs, substantially as described.

9. In a machine for making wire hinges, the combination of the reciprocating bar, the standard pivoted thereon and having the movable clam ping-j aws, the cam to move the standard laterally in one direction, the spring to move the standard laterally in the reverse direction,'the movable frame having the bending-finger, the levers connected to the clamping-jaws, and devices to operate said levers, substantially as described.

10. The combination of the two pairs of clamping-jaws, one pair being stationary and the other pair relatively movable, the bending-arm to travel between the relatively-stationary jaws, and the levers and cams to close the said pairs of jaws in succession, said cams and levers being adapted to open the jaws simultaneously, substantially as described.

11. The combination of the wire-feeding devices arranged at right angles to each other with the relatively-stationary pair of clamping-jaws, the movable pair of clamping-jaws adapted to traverse the former, and the bending-arm and operating devices, substantially as described.

12. In a machine for making wire hinges, the combination of the two pairs of clampingjaws, one pair being relatively stationary and the other pair relatively movable, the bending-arm to travel between the relatively-stationary jaws, and mechanism whereby said jaws shall be closed in succession but opened simultaneously, as set forth.

13; In a machine for making wire hinges, the combination, with the wireguides B, the clamping-jaws N S, and fingerF of the hook G, which follows in rear of the finger F and engages the next succeeding portion of the wirethat is fed forward through the guides 3 and partly bends the same, for the purpose set forth.

14. In a machine for making wire hinges, the driving-shaft and counter-shaft geared thereto, in combination with the feed-rollers operated by the counter-shaft, the reciprocating bar D operated by the driving-shaft, the clamping-jaws carried by the bar D said jaws being operated by the counter-shaft, and the reciprocating oscillating frame operated by the driving-shaft and having the bending arm or finger, as set forth.

15. In a machine for making wire hinges, the (.lriving-shaft and the counter-sh aft geared thereto, in combination with the reciprocating bar D operated by the driving-shaft, the clamping-jaws carried by the bar D and operated by connections with the countershaft, and the reciprocating oscillating frame operated by the driving-shaft and having the bending arm or finger adapted to move between the opposing sides of the said jaws, as set forth.

16. In azmaehine for making wire hinges, the feed-rol1ers Y S and the guide B for one wire a, in combination with the feedrollers K L for the other wire Z), the moving guidearm E having a finger adapted to come in contact with the intersecting portions of the wires, and the clamping-jaws, as set forth.

17. In a machine for making wire hinges, the feed-rollers S Y and the guide B for one wire a, in combination with the feed-rollers K L for the other wire Z), and the moving guide-arm E having a finger adapted to come incontaet with the intersecting portions of the wires, and the cutter I, to sever the wire a and leave the severed portion in the grasp of the finger and the clamping-jaws, as set forth.

18. In a machine for making wire hinges, the guide B for one wire a, in combination with the feed-rollers K L for the other wire I), the moving guide -arm E", having a finger adapted to come in contact with the intersecting portions of the wires, the cutter I, to sever the wire a and leave the severed portion in contact with the finger, and the jaws S N, between which the fingerpasses, the jaw S being caused to move toward the rigid jaw N and bend the severed portion of the wire a into the form of a staple, as set forth.

19. In a machine for making wire hinges, the guide B for one wire a, in combination with the feed-rollers K L for the other wire I), the moving guide-arn1 E having a finger adapted to come in contact with the intersecting portions of the wires, the cutter G, to sever the wire a and leave the severed portion in the grasp of the finger, and the jaws S N, between which the finger passes, the jaw S being caused to move toward the rigid jaw N and bend the severed portion of the wire a into the form of a staple, the jaw S closing against the jaw N and thereby clinching the severed portion of the wire a, as set forth.

20. In a machine for making wire hinges, the moving arm or guide E having the bending-finger, combined with the jaws S N, between which the arm or guide passes to bend the wire a, the jaws I R adapted to move in front of the wire 12 and become engaged therewith and to bend the same, and the cutter carried by the guide-arm to sever the wire I),

as set forth.

21. In a machine for making wire hinges, the jaws N S, between which the wire a remains clinched, and the jaws PR arranged at right angles to the jaws N S and adapted to move rearward under and over the jaws N S and serve to bend the severed portion of the wire Z) in the bent portion of the wire to, thereby linking the said bent wires together, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAN L. HILL.

\Vitnesses:

DANIEL B. O. HILL, L. W. HOLMES, 

